Clayton Gerald H GLASTAR GS-1 N513GC

Summary

On 25 July 2013 at about 13:32 local time, a Clayton Gerald H GLASTAR GS-1 registered N513GC was involved in an accident near Columbus, Indiana, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 July 2013 at 13:32

Classification

Accident

Location

Columbus, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Columbus Municipal Airport (BAK)

Coordinates

39.2342, -85.9000

Aircraft

Clayton Gerald H GLASTAR GS-1

Registration

N513GC

Category

Airplane

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbus → Columbus

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA433

1 person died.

Slippage in the engine clutch and gear reduction module and a resultant uncommanded movement of the propeller blades into reverse thrust.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Family members and friends reported that, 2 years before the accident, the experimental, amateur-built airplane had experienced a serious in-flight engine problem. Since that time, the pilot had been repairing the engine and propeller system, and the accident flight was the airplane's first flight following the reported engine problem. The pilot-rated passenger reported that, just after departing for a short local flight and turning the airplane to enter the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, the pilot informed him that there was a problem and that they needed to return to the airport. He added that the pilot began working "frantically on an electric switch for the propeller" while the engine was "screaming" but that the airplane continued descending. The airplane struck a tree and then impacted a house. An explosion and a postimpact fire immediately ensued, which consumed most of the airplane and the house. The pilot and passenger were able to exit the burning wreckage without assistance. An examination of the engine clutch and gear reduction module found some metal contamination and a nonstandard displacement of the sprag clutch elements, and these issues likely resulted in clutch slippage, which can lead to the uncommanded movement of the propeller blades. The propeller blades were observed to be in about 5 degrees of reverse pitch, which would result in a substantial loss of glide capability.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.